Hello!
Vernon here.
I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself. My life and journey as a musician began in the fifth grade, in a city right outside of Chicago, Illinois called Rockford. A wise guest teacher by the name of Ms. Peacock came to my class and began to identify which instrument each student should play by looking at our hands. One look at my hands and she was convinced. “Cello, definitely cello” was her recommendation. I took her advice and spent the next two years studying cello and learning to read music.

In 1977 my mom decided to move my sister and me to Denver, Colorado. I, a seventh grader at this point, exchanged my cello for an acoustic bass. The acoustic bass was more appealing to me not only because it looked so cool, but it also sounded so much deeper and richer than the cello. That same year, I asked my orchestra teacher if I could try out for the school jazz band. He told me that I would have to really work hard, but anything was possible. That next summer, my dad purchased my first electric bass guitar. I practiced eight hours a day in my basement for three months listening to Marcus Miller, Brothers Johnson, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Lorber, and every R&B hit that was popular that year. I returned to school and auditioned for the school jazz band. I blew my orchestra teacher away. I continued to play bass throughout High School earning a full Music Scholarship at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

After college, I spent a significant amount of time being involved in musical projects that reached many people. On two separate occasions I visited Nigeria and Uganda. Through these travels, I was able to see the powerful effect music has on people. In Uganda, my music blessed many children and adults that were without hope. It was then that I realized that this was what God had planned for me; to touch the lives of people through music.

I realized that even though music had been so fulfilling, I still had the desire to share it with someone special. In 1993, I was blessed with my wife Lynn and we currently have two beautiful children, Morgan and Marcus.

In 2000, I became the bass player (a true blessing) for International Recording Artist Nelson Rangell. My involvement with Nelson enabled me to refine my bass skills and gain exposure to the national jazz scene. I have, since then, shared the stage with some of today’s top Smooth Jazz Artists including: Gerald Albright, the Neville Brothers, Norman Brown, Steve Cole, Dotsero, Spyro Gyra, Warren Hill, Jeff Kashiwa, Jeff Lorber, Diane Reeves, Lee Ritenour, Bryan Savage, and Peter White.

My wife and I are also very involved in a foundation we established to raise money for medically challenged children called Elijah’s Rainbow.

If everything stopped right now, I could say that I have been truly blessed to have a beautiful family, great friends, and a fulfilling musical career. For me the greatest gifts in life are God, Family, and Music (in that order).

Well, this is who Vernon is...
Peace Out
“V”